A Human and a Witch
by shegoismyfav
Summary: When two worlds collide, can a little girl befriend the Mistress of All Evil?
1. Two Worlds Collide

Maleficent was not dead, of that she was sure, because her every muscle felt like it was on fire and her every bone ached as if they had been crushed into a fine powder. In short, she was in an immense amount of pain. She was aware of the grass she was face-down in, aware of the mud that was caked onto her body, and yet, she couldn't bring herself to care. At that moment she would have liked nothing more than a hot bath and a long rest. _ 'Phillip will rue the day he dared cross me,'_ she thought as she attempted to lift her battered body off the ground.

She groaned at the attempted exertion and collapsed back onto the ground, too weak to move.

…**...**

Not too far down the road, a young child, no more than four, was playing with a pink ball that had Princess Aurora stamped on one side. She sighed as she played, fervently wishing for someone her own age to play with. Being an only child was hard, and it was even harder when one was the only child on the street. She caught her ball from a particularly high bounce and glared at cartoon Aurora. She had wanted the Maleficent ball, but her mother had refused and gotten her that one instead.

_'A little girl should want to be princess,'_ she had said _'not a villian.'_ Well, she wasn't like other little girls. When they screamed at the Disney villians and villianesses, she laughed. Whereas they drew knights and princes, she drew witches and vampires. She had long ago accepted that she was different, but she was happy, and that was all that mattered.

Lost in thought, she didn't catch her ball on the bounce and it began to bounce down the road.

"Come back ball!" she called in distress.

She wasn't allowed to go out of the yard. Her mother made that perfectly clear. But her ball was only a few hundred yards down the road, and in a ditch at that. Hesitantly, and glancing over her shoulder every few seconds, the child crept out of the yard and ventured down the street. It wasn't particularly busy, and she sensed no danger.

"There you are," she said as she picked up the pink sphere. "You know you can't bounce off like that," she scolded as she turned to go back home.

She almost didn't notice the green-skinned woman a few feet away. Almost. She was lying face-down in the ditch, and the girl was worried she might be hurt. Cautiously, ball forgotten on the ground, she walked over the woman.

…**...**

Maleficent could hear footsteps coming close to her. From the vibrations, she guessed their owner was small, perhaps a child, and therefore posed no threat. It was more than likely that once they saw her they would scream and run away. She stiffened when she felt a small chubby hand on her shoulder. _'Definitely a child,'_ she decided. _'And a young one at that.'_

"Hey, are you okay?" a girl's voice asked.

…**...**

Maleficent managed the energy to turn her head and open one gold eye. The child, (she had guessed correctly in assuming it was young), backed up a few steps. Then, instead of the expected scream or gasp, she smiled.

"You're Maleficent," she proclaimed, and the sorceress was impressed that she was able to pronounce her name.

"Indeed I am," though raspy, her voice was as regal as always. A small mouth formed an 'o'. "What, may I ask, is your name? Since you already seem to know mine."

"Angelica Rose Casper, but I like Rose better."

Her name fit her. Hair as black as night, lips that weren't quite red but not quite pink either, and eyes as green as the grass. Maleficent's lip curled in contempt. Another Rose, just what she needed at the current moment. She tried to sit up, but hissed and remained where she was.

Rose, realizing what she wanted, gripped her shoulders gently and pulled her into a sitting position. The woman grimaced in pain the whole time, eyes clenched tight, only opening at the horrified gasp emitted from the child.

"You're bleeding!" Rose cried, hands searching pockets for the big bandage she knew she had.

Glancing down, Maleficent realized she was indeed bleeding from a large gaping hole in her chest. And that was not the only thing she noticed. She was as naked as the day she was born, even her headdress was missing. Quickly, she flipped her head and her long black hair covered her chest. For the first time in a long time she was glad she hadn't cut it off as her mother had suggested.

The child approached her with what looked like a large wad of cotton shaped like a rectangle. Gently, so as not to hurt her further, Rose pushed the hair aside and pressed the large band-aid over the hole. Maleficent tolerated the touch, merely because it slowed the blood flow and didn't harm her further. Large green eyes met her gold.

"How come Phillip didn't kill you when he ran you through?"

"Because dragons' hearts are in different places than humans." She blinked, the question sinking in. "How do you know about that?"

"I have the movie."

"Movie? What is a movie?"

Rose beamed up at her before taking her hand. "I'll show you."

Carefully, Maleficent stood. With a wave of her hand, a simple black dress covered her and saved what little dignity she had left. Walking slowly, they made it to Rose's yard, just as a woman came out yelling for her daughter. The girl cringed and dropped the sorceress' hand.

"You better wait here. Mama won't like it if she sees you, she's already mad because I wandered off."

Stepping around the side of the house, she bravely marched over to her angry mother.

"Here I am, Mama."

"Rose! Where have you been? And where's your ball? Honestly, do you have no respect for your things?"

"It bounced down the road, Mama. And I know you said not ta leave the yard, so I let it go." Maleficent leaned around the corner to watch the exchange, an eyebrow raised inquisitively. This seemed to pacify Rose's mother somewhat, and her face softened. "I was around the house climbing in the tree. It took me a few minutes to get down."

That appeared the wrong thing to say however, as her mother's face reddened.

"What have I told you about climbing trees? You insolent little-!"

A smack sounded as her hand connected with her daughter's cheek. The sorceress' eyes narrowed as she watched the display. To her credit, Rose didn't cry or make a sound. The only evidence she had been hit was the rapidly reddening hand print on her face. Her mother yelled for a few more minutes before stalking into the house.

Rose returned to Maleficent's side, and she could see tears glittering in green eyes.

"Let me see," she said gently. She tilted her head up and place a finger on the bruise. The child gasped as the pain faded. "Better?" Maleficent asked with a gentle smile.

Rose nodded, amazed. The woman chuckled, the sound warm and rich and nothing like the evil witch in her movie.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Why are you not afraid of me?" Maleficent countered, and Rose dipped her head in acknowledgment.

"Because you were my favorite in the movie. And I don't think you're really evil, I just think you need love."

If anyone else had said that to her, she would have killed them on the spot. As it was, only three things kept her from doing that. Her magic was weak, Rose was but a child, and she had been kind enough to help her. _'Perhaps I'm going soft,'_ she mused as she allowed the small child to sneak her into the house. _'Had that been any other person, child or no, I wouldn't have hesitated in killing them.'_

**And you healed her,** her mind voiced. _'I know. I must be insane. She shows me a little kindness and I melt.' _**She's the only person to ever show you kindness. **

_'Fair enough.'_ **Admit it—you care about her.** _'Shut up.'_ What in God's name had she gotten herself into?


	2. For the First Time I Shall Sleep Well

Rose led her into a relatively large bedroom. Unfortunately, it was painted pink. She guided her to the bed and disappeared into another room connected to the bedroom. The sound of water running met Maleficent's ears. By this point, exhaustion had overwhelmed her, and she was curled up on top of a fluffy pink comforter.

Half asleep, it took her a few moments to notice the child's voice calling to her. She cracked open an eye and managed a glare.

"Sorry," Rose said sheepishly, "but I thought you might like a bath."

This had the woman awake immediately. She went into the small bathroom and removed her dress. She heard a click from behind her and assumed Rose had closed the door. The water was literally steaming as she carefully lowered herself into it. She sighed in bliss as the hot water soothed sore muscles.

Her lips curved into a smile at the childish soaps lining the tub. Clearly, they were for young children, but they were all she had. She picked up a bottle with a cartoon dog on it and read the title.

"Scooby Doo body wash. Yummy berry scented. Hmm, how odd."

She popped open the top and squeezed some into her palm. Her eyes widened at the pink substance, but it smelled sweet so she bathed herself with it. Rinsing her palm, her eyes caught sight of another bottle.

"Scooby Doo two-in-one conditioning shampoo. Ghostly grape scented. These titles just get odder and odder."

Nevertheless, she opened and used that one as well. It felt good to be clean again, especially her hair. The water had cooled down now and she was ready to rinse off and get out. She realized with an embarrassed blush that she had no idea what knob to turn to get the water to come out, much less if it would be cold or hot. She grabbed the middle knob and turned it experimentally.

Ice cold water gushed down onto her head, chilling her instantly. In spite of herself she let out a small scream, muffled only by the knuckles she was biting furiously. Too shocked to move, she sat there under the freezing stream, her body wracked with shivers. Rose, having heard the scream, rushed in to see what was wrong. Once she saw the woman shivering, it didn't take her long to shut off the water.

She flipped the lever to release the drain, at the same time reaching for a towel that was on top of the closed toilet lid. She unfolded it and held it out to the woman still shivering in the tub. She turned as Maleficent wrapped herself in it. Waiting for her in the bedroom was a pair of blood red pajamas.

"I took them from Mama's drawer. I hope they fit," Rose explained.

Maleficent picked up the shirt and pants, awkwardly shrugging into them. It was the first time she had ever worn pants and it felt completely different from her gowns. To her surprise, they did fit, and more importantly they were warm. Before she could button up the shirt completely, Rose grasped her hand. The child pulled back the bandage that covered the hole in her chest.

It was healed up, the only indication of a wound the heavy scarring left in its place. The little girl gazed at it in wonder, and Maleficent felt proud that she could impress the child twice in one day. She yawned quietly, and Rose looked up at her.

"You can sleep here," she said, gesturing to her small bed. "Sorry the bed is so small. Mama and Daddy told me I'm gonna get a new one soon though. Maybe it'll be bigger and it won't be so hard for you to sleep in it."

_'What makes her think I'm going to stay?' _**Oh please, where do you have to go? Nowhere. Everyone in your realm believes you dead, the princess got her happily ever after. You might as well stay here with someone who actually **_**likes**_** you.**

_'You are annoying.' _**I'm you, so technically you're annoying yourself. **_'Go jump off a cliff and into the deepest pits of Hell.' _**Again, I'm you, so unless you'd like to visit home so soon, I suggest you calm down. **_'Then at least be silent.'_

When her inner voice didn't reply, she figured she had won that argument.

"Thank you, Rose," she ventured to say when she realized that she was being terribly rude.

Rose beamed at her in return and easily turned the bed down. Maleficent, by curling up, was able to fit on it, but by that point it didn't matter whether she fit or not. She was so tired that a good wind could knock her over, which was quite pathetic. When she was settled, she felt something soft shoved into her hands. Looking down, she discovered a well-loved stuffed rabbit had been pushed into her hands.

"That's my bunny, Mr. Fluffy. He keeps the nightmares away."

Maleficent wanted to tell her that it didn't matter because she rarely dreampt when she slept, but couldn't bring herself to hurt the child's feelings. Instead she thanked her and cuddled it close. In minutes, she was sound asleep.

…**...**

Rose went downstairs for lunch when she was sure Maleficent was asleep. Luckily, her mother didn't talk to her that much, so she was able to avoid letting the secret slip accidentally. She played downstairs the rest of the afternoon, ate dinner, and when her mother told her to go to bed, she didn't argue. She took her bath and put on her Minnie Mouse pajamas, and then she was stumped. Maleficent was still asleep, and it was already past her bedtime, but she didn't want to wake her.

She had seemed exhausted earlier, and Rose didn't want to wake her too early and make her mad. Yawning widely, she went around to the side of the bed where there was still a little room. If she curled just right and didn't move at all, she just might fit. It was worth a try, and she fervently hoped that Maleficent wouldn't mind her being beside her. But she wasn't afraid that she'd hurt her.

She was afraid that she'd scare her. It was worth the risk, she thought as she slowly positioned herself beside the larger woman. The bed was warm where Maleficent had slept all day, and Rose found herself cuddling into its source. The woman in question shifted a bit, creating a space for Rose against her chest. She didn't hesitate to slide over, and sighed happily when an arm draped across her body.

She fell asleep quickly, and her last coherent thought was that another person was infinitely better to cuddle with than a stuffed toy.


	3. Why She is Evil

Maleficent woke with something warm pressed into her chest. She readjusted her head and looked down. To say she was surprised was far off the mark. She never let anyone touch her-ever. She wondered if, since she had been asleep, it counted as having given permission.

But strangely, she didn't feel the urge to incinerate the small child curled against her. She felt almost...what was it...maternal? Loved? Content? All of the above?

Whatever the feeling, she didn't want it to go away. She smiled softly and ran her fingers through black hair. The child didn't wake up, but she did cuddle closer. Though she felt an overwhelming urge to get up and move around, she couldn't bear to ruin the moment. So she stayed still, relishing the warmth eminating from the small body beside her.

...

Despite what everyone in her own world seemed to think, Maleficent was capable of love. Like any living thing, she had a full range of emotions. She just chose not to show them on public. Actually, she rarely showed them at all, preferring to isolate and harden her heart to live up to her reputation as Mistress of All Evil. True, she was evil incarnate.

True, she was born from darkness and evil, conjured from the very depths of Hell. True her scepter was forged from the depths of Tartarus itself. But did that mean she was a shell of a person with a magnificent mind and wit that was incapable of emotion? Of course not. Yes, darkness burned in her very soul, her bones, and coursed through her bloodstream like the life giving substance itself, but that didn't mean she would turn into the heartless witch she was now.

For only she could control her destiny. Yet, what other seemed so quick to forget, was that one was often a product of one's surroundings. Therefore, it stood to reason that Maleficent had not had an ideal childhood. And indeed, she had not.

Her mother was a cold, cruel woman. An evil fairy at her finest, she had no love for the child that had been conceived accidentally. Maleficent could not remember her mother ever exhibiting a hint of kindness. But was it her fault that her mother had gambled with the devil and lost? Was it her fault that she had been born?

No, no it was not. And that fact was what forced her to kill her mother many years later. But she was getting ahead of herself. Her childhood was pure misery. She was honestly surprised she had survived her infancy.

But her childhood was entirely different. The best days were when her mother entirely ignored her. Unfortunately, those were far and few between. Usually, she was beaten mercilessly and blamed for all her mother's problems. Once her mother grew bored with her, she was left to heal herself and left in peace for a few precious hours.

Her adolescence was even worse, for that was time a young fairy came into their magic and challenged their parents. Maleficent's mother wanted to avoid that confrontation at all costs because she could sense that her daughter was far more powerful than her. On the eve of Maleficent's fourteenth birthday, her mother snuck into her bedroom and tried to kill her. Luckily, she was a light sleeper and awoke in time. She also had complete control of her magic.

She should have killed her mother that night. As it was, she simply escaped to her castle. She left her mother badly wounded, though she did not escape without injuries herself. In the years that followed, she sharpened her magical skills and gained a vast repitoire of knowledge. Thus, when her mother challenged her and tried to seize control of her domain several years later, she did not hesitate to kill her.

Obliterate was more like it. With barely a wave of her staff there was nothing more than ashes where her mother once stood, her scream of agony still lingering in the air. A wave of her hand and even that was erased by a howling wind.

Her life since then had been simple. A bit of mischief here, death and destruction there. And then it had all been ended with the cursing of an infant princess. She sighed. She hated reliving her past almost as much as she hated Phillip and the righteous three.

She felt Rose frown into her chest, and so she smoothed a hand across her forehead, effectively calming her. The child heaved a content sigh, the first ever released in Maleficent's presence. The sorceress found herself sighing in pure happiness. The sudden emotion shocked her, and caused her heart to ache. She found herself wishing that she could remain in that moment forever.

A child beside her, love in the freest of forms, a warm bed, and a sense of contentment. What could be better?


	4. The Balance of Life

Rose woke up in the same position she fell asleep in. Which meant her face was buried in Maleficent's chest. A low chuckle vibrated through her "pillow" causing her to look up. The woman was smiling softly, and Rose relaxed once she realized she wasn't mad.

"Good morning, little one. Did you sleep well?"

Rose smiled up at her. "Yes, did you?"

"Yes, better than I have in centuries." Rose bit her lip, wanting so badly to ask the question she knew to be rude. Maleficent arched an eyebrow. "What is on your mind, child?"

Quickly, before she could lose her nerve, she blurted out the question. "How old are you?"

Maleficent's eyes widened subtly at the rude question. _'But then,'_ she reasoned, _'she's only a child.'_ Her face then took on a look of amusement as she prepared to answer her.

"I am 323 years old which, I'll have you know, is still very young for a fairy."

Rose's mouth dropped open. 323 years old! She couldn't even begin to fathom how long that was.

"How...how is that possible?"

"I am immortal you might say. As long as I'm not seriously injured or incredibly ill, I can't die."

Rose seemed to accept this answer, and dropped her head back down to rest on Maleficent's chest. The woman noticeably stiffened. Touch was not her favorite of the five senses, not by a long shot. The child didn't seem to notice, as she remained where she was, and gradually Maleficent relaxed. They laid there for a while until Rose asked another question.

"Maleficent, are you going to stay forever?"

Damn children and their ability to ask the most uncomfortable of questions. When she didn't answer right away, Rose lifted up her head and locked eyes with the witch. Hoping to stall, she said the first thing that came to her mind.

"Well, forever is a very long time." When Rose kept staring at her, she decided to be as honest as she could. "I don't know. I have my own world to consider. After all, where there is light there must be darkness. These things must be balanced, lest the universe fall apart at the seams."

"It must be hard to have the fate of humanity in your hands."

Maleficent sighed. "It is. A kingdom can only live in a Golden Age for so long before the universe becomes imbalanced. It's very delicate, the slightest fluctuation could-" She stopped suddenly, remembering her audience was four years old. "Do you understand anything I'm saying?"

"Yep."

Maleficent raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Then restate what I just told you."

"You said that a kingdom can only live in a Golden Age for so long. A Golden Age is the time after a wicked presence has been defeated. Just the slightest tip of the scale, caused by too many years of good fortune, can cause the universe to implode." The sorceress sat slack-jawed, amazed that the girl had actually understood her explanation. "What's wrong?" Rose asked in confusion, "Didn't I get it right?"

"You understood me perfectly. I don't understand it."

Rose shrugged. She was different, she had already said so. Part of that involved being incredibly smart. Maleficent shook her head, trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she was speaking with a child genius. A noise caught her attention, and she grinned when she realize it was Rose's stomach.

"Sounds like someone's hungry."

"A little. Aren't you hungry?"

The woman was about to tell her no, she wasn't hungry, when her stomach betrayed her and rumbled.

"I was going to say no, but it appears as if my body has other ideas."

Quick as a flash, Rose was off the bed and waiting for Maleficent.

"Come on! We have pancakes and toaster stroodles and pop tarts..." Her face fell as she realized something. "Oh, wait, Mama's down there. She can't see you or she'll be real mad at me."

Maleficent was thoughtful for a second before remembering a spell she had learned when she was young to hide from her mother.

"What if I did...this?" Instantly, she became invisible. "Will this work?"

"But I can't see you!" the child complained. "How am I supposed to know where you are if I can't see you?"

It was a good thing Maleficent was such a powerful sorceress, else she wouldn't have been able to conform the spell to her needs. A bit of magic here, a spell there, and she had fixed the problem. Now, not only could Rose see her, she could hear her as well. It was an original spell, designed entirely for the child's benefit. No one but her would be able to see and hear the powerful witch.

"That's perfect!" Rose exclaimed. "Now you can go places with me and not scare people!"

With that, she began tugging Maleficent downstairs. The fairy couldn't help but chuckle. She was beginning to grow fond of the little girl, and it didn't hurt that she could converse with the older woman. If this was going to be her life for the next few weeks (or years), then so be it. 


	5. 5 yrs old: 1st Day of School Preparation

This was a big day, a big _step, _for Rose. It was a big step for Maleficent too, as she would be accompanying the five year old on this new adventure. Kindergarten. It was Rose's first day of kindergarten. Personally, Maleficent thought she should be advanced, but her mother didn't seem to share her viewpoint.

This further confirmed her belief that the woman was not as attentive as she should be. In the six months that she'd been with the girl, she'd all but become her mother. Her real mother was obviously mentally unbalanced, and her father wasn't around much. She had to have someone to look after her, and she'd gladly volunteered. Today would be the real test.

Other than the occasional trip to the grocery store, (something that had taken some getting used to on her part), she hadn't been with Rose in public. As she couldn't be seen, it didn't matter where they went, but that was also a problem. Her mother began to make offhand comments about mental health and psychiatrists. This angered the sorceress beyond belief. How dare that mortal claim she was nothing more than a figment of an overactive imagination!

As it was, Rose, the smart child she was, simply insisted she was an imaginary friend named Mal. That didn't bother her as she knew it was the only way to dissuade the woman from having her daughter committed. But back to the real reason she was worried about Rose. School, actual school. That was why she was being shaken awake before dawn.

"Mal. Mal, wake up! Come on, we gotta get ready for school!"

Rose was lucky that Maleficent was so fond of her, else she'd have been fried on the spot. While it was true Maleficent was a morning person, even she didn't get up before the sun. She groaned and rolled over, away from the offending little hands that were firmly grasping her shoulders. The child huffed impatiently, got onto the bed, and sat on top of the woman. Maleficent's eyes flew open at the extra and unexpected weight.

"Come on, Mal. You promised you'd come with me."

"I know little one, I know. But if you want me to go anywhere with you, I advise you get off me so I can get up."

Rose smiled at her before doing as she was told. The sorceress yawned and got up, albeit reluctantly. Going into the bathroom, she turned the knob to fill the tub.

"Rose," she called, "have you had your bath yet?"

"Well, um..." The woman grinned as she listened to the child fumble for an acceptable answer. "Not exactly..."

"Well, come on then. You know you need to take one. After all, we made a deal last night, didn't we?" She tested the water as she spoke, making sure it wouldn't burn the child. "Rose? Now!" she called when she didn't receive an answer.

The little girl trudged into the bathroom. It wasn't that she hated baths, it was more like she didn't see the reason why she had to bathe twice a day. She was uncooperative while Maleficent helped her out of her pajamas and into the tub. The woman knealt on the floor to wash her hair, and grew agitated when she wouldn't sit still.

"Angelica Rose Casper! Sit still this instant! Don't make me use a binding spell on you!" Rose sat still, though she pouted. "All right, what's the matter?"

"I don't wanna take a bath."

Maleficent sighed. Sometimes, because Rose was so smart, she forgot she was still a young child.

"We had a deal. You got to stay up a half hour later last night and had to take a bath this morning instead of last night."

"I know," Rose sighed. "I just don't like morning baths."

"Well," the sorceress said as she finished shampooing the child's head, "we're all done now." She smiled. "That wasn't so bad was it?"

Rose smiled at her tentatively.

"No, I guess it wasn't."

After she had been dried off and was dressed, she sat on the bathroom counter while Maleficent took a shower.

"Mal," she said suddenly, "what if nobody likes me?"

"Then I suppose I'll have to incinerate them."

"Maaaaaaal."

"Relax, I'm only joking," she said with a laugh. "Don't worry, little one. I'm sure you'll have plenty of friends by the end of the day."

"Really?" she asked hopefully, her worries fading.

"Really. Now leave so I can dry off."

The laughter as Rose ran out of the room was music to her ears. Not for the first time, she was glad she had stayed.

**AN: This is completely different than I envisioned it to be when I started on this chapter. It was originally supposed to focus on the pair actually at school. But as those of you who have plot bunnies know, they sometimes have a mind of their own. If you want to see the actual school chapter, tell me in a review or message me and I'll include it as a bonus chapter at the end.**


	6. 5 yrs old: Christmas

It was all Maleficent could do not to throttle the hyperactive child that was currently bouncing on her stomach.

"Rose," she hissed through gritted teeth, "get off of me."

Rose, sensing the hidden venom in her friend's tone, quickly climbed off her and instead curled beside her. She couldn't understand why she was in such a bad mood. Christmas was just around the corner! There was snow on the ground...oh, that might be it. The witch had already made it clear that she abhorred snow.

This was something else she couldn't understand. How could you hate something that brought so much joy?

"Mal, why do you hate snow?"

"Because it's cold and wet and useless."

"But it makes people happy."

"Exactly. I have no use for things that cause happiness. I'd much rather see an earthquake or tornado. Anything that causes grief, really."

"But why?"

Maleficent sighed. "I'm evil, Rose. How many times must I tell you?"

"But you're nice to me."

The sorceress cursed internally. The child was her only weak spot, something she was reluctant to tell her.

"Who couldn't be nice to you?" she chose to reply instead.

To her immense relief, Rose settled down, but she seriously doubted she was satisfied with that answer. Honestly, all this excitement over Christmas. She despised the holiday even more now than she had in her own world. At least there people had celebrated it because of what it represented. There they celebrated the birth of God's son, which was the whole reason she loathed it.

After all, it was her father's enemy. She couldn't go against her father. But in this world the holiday had become centered around presents and gift giving, which gave her reason to hate it more. Despite her hatred of anything festive, she couldn't bring herself to snap at the little girl. She was still young and naive enough that the day held magic for her, and she wasn't about to ruin it.

* * *

Later on, when the two were in bed and Maleficent had finished Rose's bedtime story, Rose cuddled close to the woman and kissed her cheek.

"'Night, Mal. I love you."

She felt a kiss on the crown of her head and sighed in happiness. She hadn't expected a verbal response. She knew that her friend had problems admitting to her feelings, and she was accepting of that. A kiss on the head was enough for her.

* * *

_'Why, why can't I say those three little words?! I want to, oh, how I want to! I do love the child, as much as a being like me can. She's the child I never had. And she's been so wonderful to me.'_

**You know why you can't say those words. You're a coward! Pure and simple. Mistress of All Evil, HA! Mistress** **of All Cowardice is more accurate!**

_'Stop it, damn you, stop it!'_

**Why, because you know it's true?**

_'Yes, it's true! It's true!'_

**Mother was right, you truly are worthless.**

'_I know, I know.'_

To anyone watching, Maleficent appeared to be in the middle of a particularly horrid nightmare. In reality, she was at war with herself, and she was losing. It was her mother's fault, her horrible self esteem. Usually, she was very confident. But when she was angry at herself, a little voice inside her head would remind her of all the lies she had been told as a child.

And, unfortunately, when she was in these moods, she usually believed them.

Another reason Maleficent hated Christmas: it was the one day of the year that her mother tortured her, really tortured her. Hot metal pokers, brands, the rack, she had been through it all. And through the whole ordeal, her mother could be heard crying out how much she hated her.

* * *

Rose was absolutely determined she was going to make Maleficent like Christmas. She had bought her a gift, which she had done secretly so her mother wouldn't instantly commit her. It was a replica of her staff from the movie, right down to the glass orb on top. It came with a small dragon figurine, which she hoped would further cheer up the woman. The sales lady had looked at her oddly, but had not said a word as she wrapped it.

Now the only problem was finding a place to hide it where neither Maleficent or her mother would find it. On top of it all, her father wouldn't be home for Christmas this year. That left her and her mother to trim the tree. She hoped she could coerce the sorceress into helping out with that as well, since her mother absolutely hated it. Thankfully, they already had a tree, though it had been a battle to choose one.

**Flashback**

_"Come on, Mal! Mama _s_ays we're gonna go pick out a tree!"_

_"Why do you want to bring a tree inside? There are plenty outside to look at."_

_"Because Mal," the child said with a huff, "it's tradition. Besides, it's fun to decorate it."_

_"Fun. I see nothing 'fun' about dragging a tree through the snow and into the house. Then you have to take care of it. So forgive me if I don't want any part of this."_

_Rose had noticed that Maleficent seemed to be getting more irritable with each passing day. She couldn't understand it. She hadn't done anything to upset her, at least nothing she could remember. Well, she was going to go whether she liked it or not. Her face hardened, an unusual look for her, and she grabbed her friend's hand and pulled._

_The sorceress looked up from her book, annoyed._

_"And just what do you think you're doing?"_

_"You're coming with us."_

_"I most certainly am not!" She tried to draw her hand back, but Rose was expecting that and tightened her grip. "Rose, let go."_

_"No."_

_After several minutes of arguing, all three women were on the way to the tree farm._

_"I can't believe I'm doing this," Maleficent grumbled._

_"Admit it, you don't really mind coming."_

_Rose's mother looked in the rear view mirror at her daughter. She was tired of this 'imaginary friend' her daughter claimed to have. She was constantly talking to nothing. It made her look crazy, and she was not going to raise a crazy child._

_"Rose!" she snapped. "How many times must I tell you that your ''friend'' isn't real? Now stop acting like a crazy person and be quiet!"_

_The child cringed at her mother's harsh words. She looked to Maleficent for help. The sorceress felt her anger melt away as she listened to the woman yell at her child. Slowly, so she wouldn't draw attention to herself, she slid across the seat and wrapped the little girl in a hug. She buried her face in her dress and sniffled._

_She kept her face hidden the rest of the ride, and the witch felt her dress grow wet with tears. She grew angry at the poor excuse for a mother, though she knew her anger was useless as she couldn't do anything about it. She felt the car glide to a stop, and when she looked around she was surrounded by green._

_"Rose," she whispered. The child looked up at her. "We're here."_

_Rose was out of the car before she could count to three. She ran off into the maze of trees, and her mother gave a half-hearted yell before turning to converse with the salesman. Quickly, Maleficent teleported to Rose's side. She looked up at the largest tree she had ever seen._

_"It's perfect," the child breathed. "And look, Mal, it matches your skin."_

_"Indeed it does," she said with a smile. "But Rose, don't you think it's a bit big?"_

_"Well maybe," the child admitted, "but that's what makes it so amazing!"_

_The two heard her mother calling, and Rose answered. After a bit of negotiating, they had the tree._

_"Your lucky we have vaulted ceilings," her mother mumbled as the salesman tied the tree to the top of the car._

_Once they got home and the tree was in its stand, they began decorating it. Maleficent sat calmly in the corner with her book, only glancing up occasionally to check Rose's progress on the tree. When Rose couldn't reach any higher, she began to take ornaments to her friend to hang up. She didn't want to help at first, but after a lot of begging, she gave in and began hanging ornaments. If she was honest with herself, she did feel a little happier after decorating._

_Finally, they were finished, or so she thought. She was just about to return to her book when Rose came up to her holding what looked to be a hand crafted ornament of blown glass. It was in the shape of a star, and was obviously an antique. She immediately grew worried that the child was going to drop it by accident._

_"Careful, little one," she said as Rose stumbled._

_"Lift me up so I can put it on top." Her eyes darted away as she added "Usually Daddy helps me, but he's not here." Her eyes looked up at the sorceress, brimming with hope. "But you'll help me, won't you, Mal?"_

_She looked so hopeful (and adorable), how could she not help her?_

_"All right, little one, come here."_

_Her hands easily fit around the child's waist, and she just as easily lifted her up. Unfortunately, even with her advanced height and arms fully extended, Rose couldn't quite reach the top. Looking around to make sure the child's mother wasn't in the room, she released her hands and levitated her to the top. She waited anxiously beneath her as she placed the star and straightened it. Once she was satisfied, Maleficent lowered her to the ground, her magic accompanied by Rose's happy giggles._

**End Flashback**

Rose smiled at the memory. It had been the best tree decorating night to date, even without her dad. She looked at the clock, its glowing red numbers revealing that it was after four o'clock. She knew she shouldn't be up that late, but she couldn't help it. She was so excited it was hard to sleep.

She looked over at Maleficent and noticed she was having a nightmare.

"Mal. Mal, wake up," she whispered.

Gold eyes instantly snapped open, and the woman to whom they belonged lay there panting, still trapped in her dream. There was movement from beside her, and she sat up and let her magic fly. It missed Rose, but that didn't keep her from letting out a surprised gasp. When she heard the noise, she came to her senses and immediately looked for the little girl.

"Rose! Are you all right?"

"Yeah, you just scared me."

The sorceress let out a sigh of relief and went over to the child.

"Are you sure the magic didn't hit you?"

"I'm sure. Come on, there's something I wanna show you."

She left as soon as she finished her sentence, so the woman had no choice but to follow her. She found Rose curled underneath the tree, which was lit up with multicolored lights. The child patted the space beside her, which Maleficent filled.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" Rose asked as she pointed up through the branches.

Maleficent followed her finger and her breath caught. Light reflected off the ornaments, causing them to sparkle and shine. Then there were the lights themselves, which were gorgeous. Add to that the smell of pine engulfing them and the moment was perfect.

"It's gorgeous," she replied honestly.

"I do this every year," the child voiced sleepily before curling into the sorceress' side.

"I can see why," she whispered as she wrapped an arm around her.

The two fell asleep there, under the glow of artificial light and surrounded by the scent of pine. Maleficent woke to sunlight streaming through the window. It was still early, but she knew she needed to get Rose back upstairs before her mother found them. As she had taken down the invisibility spell, she could easily be seen. Gently, she picked the child up and carried her back to bed.

* * *

Christmas morning dawned bright and early, and Rose was up with the sun. She shook Maleficent awake, and before she was fully awake she had bolted to her mother's room. Once both women were awake, (though they were yawning), they followed the hyperactive child down to the living room.

"Santa came!" Rose shrieked when she saw the large pile of presents under the tree.

She dove into them and began to tear off the wrapping. Her mother sat with a small smile on her face as she watched her daughter. While she didn't care for imaginary friends, she had believed in Santa once upon a time, and didn't see any reason why her child shouldn't, at least for a few years. Maleficent watched with a smile as well, finding the sight cute. She would never admit it aloud, but maybe she didn't hate the holiday as much as she had a few weeks ago.

Some hours later, after Rose had finished unwrapping her presents and her mother had gone to start lunch, she sat curled on Maleficent's lap, all but asleep. The sorceress was running her fingers through the child's hair, soothing her to the brink of sleep.

"Did you have a good morning, little one?" she asked in a soothing tone.

"Yes," she said drowsily.

"I'm glad. I had a good time watching you."

Her statement snapped Rose awake. She scrambled off the woman's lap, and with a cry of "Be right back!", ran upstairs, leaving a confused sorceress in her wake.

"Where is it? Where is it?" Rose mumbled as she dug through her toy chest. "Found it!" she cried as her hand wrapped around the shaft.

She carefully extracted the staff and figurine. Cradling them close to her body, she turned and ran back downstairs. She slid to a stop in front of the sorceress and placed both presents in her lap. The woman looked shocked before hesitantly picking up the figurine.

"Are these for me?" she asked quietly. Rose, mistaking her tone for one of anger, backed up a bit and and began stuttering out an explanation. She hushed the child before explaining. "Shh, little one, I'm not angry, simply surprised...and deeply touched."

She pulled the child over to her side and kissed the top of her head.

"Now why don't I open these?" With that she tore open the package containing the dragon figurine. "Oh, Rose, it's beautiful. I love it, thank you."

She sat the statue down carefully before opening the second package. Her hand flew to her mouth in shock and wonder when its contents were revealed.

"Rose, where...where did you find this?"

"At the mall," she replied happily.

Holding her staff in her hands, she could feel the energy pulsing within. She swirled her hand over the orb, watching it glow green with her magic.

"Rose, this is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me, thank you."

"So you like it then?"

"Oh, Rose," she said with a laugh, "I love it."


End file.
